Der Erlkönig
by TheHttydRaven
Summary: Anduin had always thought it was a made-up tale, a story told to small children in the darkness of night to dissuade them from entering the dark forests. The story of the Elfking, The elf that crept through the forests, creeping through the dark as it sought a soul to take, preferring the innocent souls of children. But he was wrong. very wrong. [Character death.]


_Warning: **CHARACTER DEATH**_

_I was listening to Der Erlkönig, A German poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which tells the tale of The Erl-King (also known as the Erlkönig or Elfking), a malevolent elf that lures children to their destruction. _

_After listening to it (I'd never heard it before, just read it), I was hit with a burst of inspiration to write a very angsty one-shot about one of my favorite characters. _

_Read the end notes for the poem. :)_

_!_

_The Elfking_

Anduin had always thought it was a made-up tale, a story told to small children in the darkness of night to dissuade them from entering the dark forests.

The story of the _Elfking_, or _Erlkönig_, as it was often called. The elf that crept through the forests, creeping through the dark as it sought a soul to take, preferring the innocent souls of children.

Anduin thought it was a myth.

But he was _so wrong._

The moon shone brightly through the clouds, the blackness of the night being scared away by the soft light that the hanging orb in the sky cast upon the earth below.

Varian clutched Anduin close to his chest, the young prince being pressed against the soft furs that lined his father's cloak, which the king had wrapped around his ill child.

The night was ready growing late, and Varian could feel the pull of sleep tugging at his eyes, his limb growing tired as he clutched at his son, one arm cradling the small body to his chest as the other tightly grasped the reins of the horse that carried the father and son through the dark woods.

"Hold on, Anduin..." Varian murmured, his heart growing heavy as his child remained still and silent. "We are almost home. Just hold on..."

Anduin curled closer to his father's warmth, the safety that he felt as his father's arm tightened around him reassuring his mind.

Anduin rose his head slightly, looking over his father's arm and gazing into the shadowy and dark woods that lined the path behind the horse that raced down the dirt path, carrying the king and prince along its back.

Anduin saw something.

A being, stood in the middle of the path behind them, cloaked in a black robe that hid any identifying features.

"Anduin? What is it, my son?" Varian looked down at his son, a tone of worry clear in his voice as the young prince buried his face against his chest.

"Father! Behind us, I saw it!" As Anduin's scared voice, muffled by the furs it was pressed against, reached Varian's ears, the King twisted in the saddle, eyes searching the area behind them, looking for the unknown threat that his son had seen.

But there was nothing.

The path behind them was empty, populated only by a lone owl, perched upon a branch as the creature stared after the king, its bright and wide eyes unnerving the man.

"Anduin, there is nothing."

Anduin peeked back over his father's arm.

It was still there.

"Father, do you not see him?!" As Anduin cried out in fear, the form moved closer, the hood upon the robe falling to rest upon the being's shoulders, revealing a head topped with a regal crown.

Varian, who was also staring behind them, eyes searching desperately for the being that his son claimed to see, shook his head.

"Son, it's just the mist."

_"_ **_Come__with_ _me, lovely __child_ **_**.**"_

The being spoke. Anduin felt tears well up in his eyes, fear filling his heart as the haunting voice filled his ears.

"Father, do you not hear him?!" Anduin cried out, his father shushing him, a soothing hum.

"Anduin there is nothing there. You are sick, and you are imaging it. Shh..."

Varian's soothing voice did nothing to calm the distraught prince, whose eyes were trained on the figure that grew ever so close.

As the figure's face left the shadows, Anduin let out a soft cry.

He recognized the face he had seen so many times, drawn in the storybooks he had been read as a child.

_"**We'll play games.**"_ The Elfking said, face splitting into a friendly smile that only served to horrify Anduin more.

"Father, can't you hear?!" Anduin called to his father, who stared down at his son helplessly. "What the Elfking is promising me?"

"Be calm, my boy-" Varian ran his hand through Anduin's hair in an effort to calm the child. "It's only the wind in the leaves."

_"**Lovely boy, will you come with me?**_" The Elfking extended a hand towards Anduin, before sweeping it to motion to the forms that were emerging from the trees to his side. _"**My daughters will wait on you.**" _One of them, a pale girl with cold hands reached out to hover over Anduin's cheek. _"**My daughters will sing for you and dance for you and rock you **_**_to sleep_**_**.**"_

Anduin could do nothing more than stare in horror as the figures began to move, dancing around ethereally as their haunting voices rang through the air.

"Father, do you not see," Anduin wailed, his cries ringing out through the seemingly empty woods. "The Elfking's daughters there?"

"Son, it's the old willows shining in the moonlight." Varian dismissed his son's fears, convinced that his son was seeing fever-induced hallucinations.

_"**If you won't come,**"_ The Elfking drew close, looming over Anduin, previously kind face contorting and twisting into an enraged expression, teeth now sharp and dangerous, eyes narrowed and blackened. _"**I will **_**_take you_**_** by force.**"_

A hand shot out, wrapping painfully around Anduin's arm, the boy gasping in pain.

"Father, father he has grabbed me!" Anduin cried out for his father, fear filling his voice. "The Elfking has hurt me!"

Varian shuddered, Anduin fell silent.  
As the horse raced forward, hooves thundering along the path, Varian felt his heart fill with relief as a farmhouse rose in the distance.

"Son, I will get you help." Varian pulled Anduin close to his chest. "You will get better Anduin."

A soft groan was his only reply.

As they reached the farmhouse, Varian jumped to the ground, Anduin clutched tightly in his arms.

"Anduin, we're somewhere safe. You're safe!"

No response.

"Anduin...?"

Varian reached out, brushing aside the golden hair that covered his son's eyes.

Dull blue eyes stared back at him, opened wide in horror, unblinking and unmoving.

"Anduin?" Varian exhaled anxiously, noticing the small puff of mist that formed from his hot breath meeting the cool winter air.

The king's eyes fell to his son's lips, which seemed to have a blueish tint to them.

Nothing.

"Anduin?!"

His small child's frail chest was still.

Varian let out a shuddering breath, hands scooping up his child, pressing the motionless body to his chest, the warrior burying his head against his son's limp body.

_In his arms, the boy is dead._

_!_

_Poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe _

_Translation:_

_The Elfking_

_Who rides so late through the windy night?_

_It is the father and his child._

_He holds the boy,_

_Warm and safe._

_Son, why do you hide your face in fear?_

_Father, do you not see the Elfking?_

_With his crown and train?_

_Son, it's just the mist._

_Come with me, lovely child_

_We'll play games_

_There are flowers on the beach and_

_My mother has golden clothes_

_Father, can't you hear_

_What the Elfking is promising me?_

_Be calm, my boy -_

_It's only the wind in the leaves._

_Lovely boy, will you come with me?_

_My daughters will wait on you_

_My daughters will sing and dance for you_

_and rock you to sleep._

_Father, do you not see_

_The Elfking's daughters there?_

_Son, it's the old willows shining_

_In the moonlight._

_I love you - I'm charmed by your beautiful form_

_And if you won't come, I will take you by force_

_Father, father, he has grabbed me._

_The Elfking has hurt me._

_The father shudders. He rides fast,_

_the groaning boy in his arms,_

_Anxious, he reaches the farm._

_In his arms, the boy is dead._

_(Translation by Daniel Norman)_


End file.
